Hunters and outdoor enthusiasts use tree stands when hunting or observing game or wildlife. Tree steps are used for climbing to and from the tree stand. Tree steps have a threaded screw that is driven into the tree trunk, and a step that extends from the tree trunk. A number of tree steps may be driven into the tree to provide safe access to the tree stand. When the tree stand is removed, the tree steps are also removed.
Tree steps are commonly provided as either a rod-type tree step or a fold-type tree step. A rod-type tree step is formed from steel rod and has a permanent “Z” shape. One leg of the “Z” forms the screw and the other leg forms the step.
Fold-type tree steps have the screw pivotally mounted to fold into a channel member for more compact storage. The channel member has a “U”-shaped cross section to receive the screw. A single-fold tree step has the screw pivotally mounted to an “L” shaped member that forms both the channel member and the step. A double-fold tree step has the screw and the step each pivotally mounted to a separate channel member.
Tools are available to assist in driving tree steps into or out of trees. Mahaffey, U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,007, and Cox, US Pat. D458,522 disclose tree step driving tools for driving rod-type tree steps. The tool includes a head mounted to an elongate body. The step-portion of the tree step extends through an opening in the body to locate a head against the screw and transmit torque.
Cross, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,124 discloses a tree step driving tool that can be used to drive both rod-type and fold-type tree steps. The tool has an elongate rectangular body that receives and surrounds one end of a double-fold tree step to drive the step. Openings through the body enable the tool to receive and drive single-fold and rod-type tree steps.
Although the known tree step driving tools are useful, they each have shortcomings. The Mahaffey and Cox tools can only drive rod-type tree steps. The Cross tool can drive both rod-type and fold-type tree steps, but the rectangular body is large and so the tool is heavy and bulky.
Thus there is a need for a tree step driving tool that can drive both rod-type and fold-type tree steps but is lighter and less bulky.